Shapiro takes jab at NCAA from jail

Former booster serving 20-year sentence

Former University of Miami booster Nevin Shapiro criticized the NCAA's enforcement division in a story published Wednesday by Sports Illustrated.

The magazine examined the NCAA enforcement division and the questions it has faced since Shapiro's allegations of providing thousands of impermissible benefits to Hurricanes athletes came to light in 2011.

Speaking from a federal prison in Oakdale, La., Shapiro said, "I thought I was dealing with the FBI. Instead, I was dealing with a bunch of clowns. I gave the NCAA the body, the weapon and the DNA evidence on a platter, and they found a way to screw this up."

The SI story on the NCAA enforcement division noted the changes it has undergone since Mark Emmert became president in 2010 and how several former staffers believe he has hampered investigations. Four members of the department have left the department in the past year.

"People are questioning the need and effectiveness of the enforcement staff in general to the point that I wonder if the membership will say we don't want it," former investigator Abigail Grantstein told SI.

Shapiro told SI that he gambled on 23 Miami games, using inside information from players, from 2003 to 2009 and provided bank records to support his claims.

Yahoo! Sports first broke the story in 2011 of how Shapiro provided impermissible benefits to Miami athletes that included entertaiment, cash, jewelry and other things.

Shapiro is serving a 20-year sentence for running a $930 million Ponzi scheme.

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